Justification
by The Passionate Admiral
Summary: The ending of "Renaissance Man" as it should have gone. This one's for all of you that don't like The Doctor!


Justification

Author: The Passionate Admiral

Rating: K

Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Star Trek Universe, just this plot.

Plot: This is one for those of you that don't like The Doctor. Janeway let him off too easily in "Renaissance Man." If it were up to me, this is how it would have gone.

The Doctor was working in sickbay, but found that he could not focus his mind on his work. His mind was concentrating on recent events. Every single member of the crew was angry at him. Quite frankly, he did not see why. He did what he did to save the Captain's life. Somehow, that just made the crew even angrier at him.

For his own care, he had decided to remain in sickbay and not to socialize with the rest of the crew.

Finally, after a week of confining himself in sickbay, Captain Janeway marched through the door. She was clearly infuriated with The Doctor.

He looked up and said "Hello, Captain."

"On your feet, Doctor." she said angrily.

The Doctor hastily rose to his feet and stood up straight. Janeway just glared at him and said "I'm sure you know why I am here."

"To conduct punitive actions, no doubt." said The Doctor. He found he was unable to look the Captain in the eye.

"I'm not sure how to discipline you for what you've done." said Janeway. "You're being charged with insubordination, theft of Federation property, assaulting and impersonating Federation officers, conspiracy, and disobeying the orders of a superior officer."

"Quite a lot." said The Doctor.

"A lot?" said Janeway. "Even Lieutenant Paris has never broken this many regulations."

"Captain, I had to do it all in order to save your life." said The Doctor.

"And that makes what you did RIGHT?" yelled Janeway.

"Captain, the crew needs a Captain." The Doctor said calmly. "It could have managed without a warp core."

"Doctor, without the warp core, it would literally have taken a millennium for us to get home!" Janeway shouted.

"That didn't matter." said The Doctor.

"Doesn't matter?" yelled Janeway. "Doctor, you are oblivious to the consequences of your actions."

"I had no choice, Captain."

"Why didn't you simply tell the crew and try to organize a rescue plan?" asked Janeway.

"They were monitoring my every move."

"You could have introduced the problem in a more subtle way that Tuvok or Chakotay would be able to comprehend."

"Captain, there was a risk that we would fail."

"In other words, you doubted the crew's abilities to conduct a rescue mission!"

The Doctor just looked down at the ground. Janeway told him "Doctor, I've given you extraordinary privileges aboard this ship. I pardoned you from when you aided those holograms in their flight from the Hirogen, I was willing to let you leave the ship to live with the Qomarians, and I allowed you to send that insulting, provocative holonovel based on the crew to the Alpha Quadrant. But this crossed the line. There is only one way I know of to compensate for your actions against the crew."

The Doctor knew what she was referring to. He just sighed and said "Very well, Captain. If you believe this is the only way, then I will go along with it. It is a small price to pay for ensuring your safety."

Janeway told him "It is the only way I know of, Doctor. It pains me to have to do this, but I have to show the crew that the behavior you demonstrated is absolutely unacceptable."

"Very well." said The Doctor. He stood up straight and then looked Janeway in the eye, saying "Good-bye, Captain."

"Good-bye, Doctor." said Janeway. There was a long pause because them, and then finally Janeway said "Computer, remove the EMH's self-awareness and place it in a file restricted to Kathryn Janeway only."

"EMH's self-awareness transferred." stated the computer. The Captain just looked at the hologram in front of her. He was not unaware of his own existence. But she decided that when the time was right, his consciousness would be returned to him.

Janeway just left the sickbay and allowed The Doctor to return to his work.


End file.
